Exploitation through Imperialism

Whether for economic, political, nationalistic or humanitarian reasons, more dominate nations have often interfered with the affairs of weaker nations. Those powerful nations, such as Great Britain, have in the past exploited less fortunate nations for their own interests in such things as capital and resources. Although sometimes in return these exploited nation’s quality of life have been improved, it cannot hide the fact that imperialism results in oppression and a change in culture of the weaker nation.
In Rudyard Kipling’s, “The White Man’s Burden,” the imperialists are explained to be seekers of others resources and therefore oppress the weaker countries. These weaker countries are referred to as “savage countries,” just because they are not as powerful and dominate as the imperialist power (Britian). The white man thinks that any country they can exploit and change is a savage country in someway or another because it does not have the same culture or traditions. These imperialist powers, “seek another’s profit, and work another’s gain,” showing that these powerful countries act in their own interests and not really for the benefit of the less dominate, (India). They work for their own “goal” and for their own “pride.” These countries, like Britain, pride themselves on helping these countries, but only kill many of the people and steal many of their resources.
In J.A. Hobson’s, “Imperialism” this same idea stands. The missionaries think its their “duty” to help out the weaker countries, but want to show off British power. They are simply interfering with the less dominate to help with their capitalism and finance. They act in a hostile manner and want everything to line up in their favor. They will use “animal” like ways and use all of their energies to make sure to profit off the weak.

Imperialism and Humanitarianism: Fraternal Twins?

AP Euro
February 24, 2009
Lauren Berry

Imperialism and Humanitarianism: Fraternal Twins?

Imperialism and Humanitarianism are often placed in separate spheres. However, maybe these two concepts are much more similar than we know them to be. Imperialism is defined as “the practice of extending the power, control or rule by one country over areas outside its borders.” On the other hand, Humanitarianism is defined as “an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans, in order to better humanity for both moral and logical reasons.” These two practices are defined completely different, yet both involve the act of helping those in need. So, where do we draw the line? It is easy to argue that these two ideologies are completely different, yet they in fact share many similar ideas. Both practices follow similar ideologies by entering impoverished nations in hopes of injecting change within the society. However, this comparison goes no further because Imperialism uses force while Humanitarianism doesn’t. Imperialism, unlike Humanitarianism involves a greedy mindset. For example, Humanitarians come into the impoverished nation with the goal to better the lives of the society, without any strings attached. However, Imperialism calls for an unfair relationship between the society and the transitional government. Unable to speak their voice, the nation is bombarded by new ideas thrown in by the new government. Imperialism calls for a complete change to occur throughout society by force, while Humanitarianism allows for problems to be fixed and mended through peaceful acts. Humanitarianism doesn’t imply for strings to be attached, but rather it is an unselfish act. Humanitarianism is a practice that isn’t seeking power or in want of control. On the other hand, Imperialism acts as a greedy, power seeking practice that in turn creates an unfair relationship between the powerful and the powerless. In class the other day, Ms. Pugliese read from a book that argued that Humanitarianism and Imperialism are similar, but I have to disagree with the author. I think Imperialism and Humanitarianism are fraternal twins. Though they seem to have similar qualities, the intentions behind the acts are different. It’s simple: Humanitarians have good intentions, while Imperialists do not.

Historical To Present Day Imperialism

It’s a universally accepted belief that the concept and justification of Imperialism is immoral. Imperialism usually takes the form of military action enforced by a dominant country in order to exploit another country’s land, labor, and resources to benefit its own demands. Sure, it’s easy to reprimand this behavior and write it off as government bullying. But the reality is that without imperialistic behavior the U.S. would not be the top superpower it is today. Technologically and economically we have thrived on the competitive nature of our country’s foundations. No other country comes close to matching our military might. But as Americans we realize this doesn’t mean that we can or should remove morality from the equation. That’s why our Americans were so divided by George Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. Many questioned the choice to enter Iraq and Afghanistan, asking was it really moral or was it similar to what the British were doing 100 years ago? Other countries took notice of our decision too, branding us as an imperialistic world police on a power trip. As a major world power the line becomes blurred between our good intentions, and our oppressive tactics. Ironically, while running for president Bush announced a passive foreign policy, only to later become one of the most interventionist presidents in foreign affairs in history.

To put it in perspective in today’s society I want to mention China. In contrast to us, China has pursued a very different policy in providing lots of economic support with no demands on internal politics or human rights with countries they do business with. They use their economic power instead of their military power to benefit themselves. As a result, countries like Sudan prefer to do business with China rather than the U.S. While we perceive ourselves to be the good guys, the rest of the world doesn’t always agree, which has driven away some of our former allies. But it’s important to realize that the nurturing and cultivation of a nation’s superiority complex did not originate with Bush’s administration. The idea of imperialism has existed forever. The Eastern Europeans were so commonly enslaved by each other that “Slav” became directly associated with serfdom. In fact the word “slave” stems from “Slav”. Hitler and the Nazi regime are a prime example of imperialism at its darkest hour. Nazi actions were based in a faith that Jews were inferior, non-human beings, using slave labor of concentration camps to their advantage.

One and a Half Cheers for Colonialism

19th century colonialism has long been seen by much of the world today as an evil, a period in history that should never again repeated, but in reality, it was not all that unique or terrible. True enough, the harshness and cruelty experienced by the colonized was atrocious and no reason or argument can ever justify such treatment of any human being. But to single out and criticize only the West or even demand reparations for their behavior towards the “third world” would be unfair. Though perhaps not always on as grand a scale, civilizations have been invading, conquering, and subjugating other civilizations since the ancient times and they are not justified in their actions either. But what is done is done and no matter how much people lash back at the West, the suffering cannot be undone, so it is better now to focus on making the best of 19th century colonialism. That is not to say that those responsible should not be punished, but that violence against the West in the name of revenge is not the solution. Instead, both the “colonized” and the “colonizers” should work together to expand and improve the benefits brought on by colonialism. The colonists brought with them modern technology, organized infrastructure, and most importantly the ideas of civil rights. The latter was a product of the West and without its introduction it may not have developed on its own for a very long time. Ironically, opening the door to colonization also inadvertently opened the door to the ideas of civil rights, which then influenced the people of the colonies to fight for those rights that their descendents now enjoy. Either argument regarding colonialism cannot win over the other, so unlike D’Souza, I will only give one and a half cheers for colonialism.

Too Many Burdens

While studying imperialism and world history, one term that has always seemed to stick with me was the term, “White Man’s Burden.” Not because I have some bone to pick with Britain colonizing my home country of Nigeria back in the 19th century, but I’ve always found this term fascinating because of the reasoning behind it. Essentially, a lot of Europeans felt it was their duty to colonize and “civilize” the “beasts” of the foreign countries in Africa and South America. The word, “civilize” meaning tame, destruction of religion, loss of national identity, genocide, forcing the destruction of local religions and languages, whatever you take the word civilize to mean. In the words of Joseph Heller (Catch 22), the White Man’s burden was just an act of “Protective Reasoning” to why it was ok to exploit the smaller countries that Europeans were taking over. Though this did happen back in the 19th century, and most of colonies have now gotten their independence, have all these burdens finally been taken care of, has the whole world been civilized?
For most teens that keep up with modern day pop culture, the answer to this question would be no. Of late, its all the rage to get pregnant now, whether it is to sky rocket your popularity or as a publicity stunt to create buzz for your new movie. But some stars don’t want to get pregnant and deal with the weight, soreness, and bloating that a baby brings, so they’ve resorted to adoption outside of the United States. The most famous case being Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who now have 6 kids, of which only 3 are biological children. What I find very interesting is that while parents who adopt children do it because of some complication that prevents them from being able to have kid themselves, or a single parent who wants children but does not have a significant other to do so with, Angelina and Brad are fully capable of having children, proof being the two twins she popped out last year. Why can’t parents who aren’t celebrities get babies in the U.S half as fast as celebrities outside of the U.S? Why do celebrities feel the need to adopt if they don’t need to? To many, this feels like a modern day white man’s burden-type of ordeal, but at the same time, a little more positive then our ancestors. Though it seems that Angelina and other celebrities feel that it’s their right to do the world a favor and adopt every foreign child possible, in the end they are giving these children a better life overall. Though this is the white man’s burden all over again, they are actually doing themselves some good, and for once, I think I’m going to have to agree with Jolie.

The Evolution of Imperialist Policies

Elise Thygesen
AP Euro
Pugliese
02-23-09
The Evolution of Imperialist Policies

The progression from colonialism to imperialism to 21st century globalization seems natural to me. Colonialism, the act of establishing a direct connection to another sphere of the world by controlling it with external power was a way for Western Europeans to assert their dominance over the rest of world in a very direct way by establishing diplomatic, legal, and economic ties to another territory of land. In a way, colonialism was a product of early globalization, as transportation mechanisms allowed explorers, sailors, kings, and foreign rulers to connect with another part of the world. Imperialism evolved out of the colonialist tendencies to create greater economic prosperity for the dominant power. Great Britain used their imperialist countries to gain access to rich land, resources, and labor, taking the majority of the economic gains from trade for themselves by exploiting their military and political prowess.
I would argue that the modern globalization is part of the historical progression from colonialism to imperialism. No longer needing to create offshore “colonies” to capitalize on resources, the West uses their industrial advantages to exploit developing countries’ resources. William Easterly even goes so far as to argue that modern foreign aid policies are merely a veiled extension of high-minded imperialism. It is impossible to ignore the fact that the gap between the richest people and the poorest people in the world is growing fast, and it is impossible to imagine what the next step in the historical progression of imperialism might be. However, it appears to be an unfortunate pattern of big winners and losers in globalization, suggesting the benefits of trade are not always equally distributed.

Imperialism Response Paper

Imperialism is defined as “a policy of extending your rule over foreign countries”. This is a common idea among influential countries in order to expand their borders. Although this may seem like a successful strategy to gain more power, it is not moral because it ruins the less powerful countries traditions, freedom, and way of living. Kipling’s, “White Man’s Burden” favors imperialism and discusses the idea that it is the Europeans (White man’s) duty to “civilize” the “savages” of the world and take over less powerful countries. Kipling makes it seem like imperialism is the only way for smaller countries to thrive, but he fails to recognize all the negative aspects of taking over a country. It is unethical to invade a small country and alter its economy, political structure, and society. Some may believe that the third world countries, in order to be somewhat successful, need to follow in Europe’s footsteps, but at the same time, when a powerful nation occupies a smaller country they tend to destroy their traditions, force religion upon them, and create enemies. The selfish behavior of imperialistic rulers causes a nation to become less united. When a country is constantly extending their borders and oppressing smaller countries, it can have an effect on the nationalistic nature of their citizens. Throughout our studies, we have learned that nations strive and prosper due to all citizens being united under one common goal. When goals and traditions are split and mixed, it is difficult for a country to be cohesive and powerful. Yes, Europe was very successful and progressed at a faster rate then most countries, but that doesn’t mean that powerful countries like Europe should have the right to ruin traditions and force rules upon other countries.

Militant Nationalism vs. Imperialism

Is Heinrich von Treitshke’s ideological belief of militant nationalism a product or a cause of imperialism? In a sense, while they occupy separate spheres, they also have numerous commonalities. From the language used in Treitshke’s thoughts on the state and war, it seems as if the motivations behind militant nationalism are much more extreme than the (still not noble) motivations of imperialism.
Treitshke places a much larger emphasis on the role of Germany as an imperialist power, and glorifies the German form of imperialism whilst condemning all other similar global actions. However, unlike most intellectuals at the time, Treitshke does not scramble for a justification or reason why imperialism exists. Instead, he lays it out in a very plain and blunt way: Germans are the greatest race on the earth and in order to become the most powerful nation, they must look out for their own interests even if by questionable means.
No part of Treitshke’s ideology is sugar-coated and it fails to see shades of grey in a world in which it believes nations must attack or be attacked. To Treitshke, “peace is an illusion supported only by those of weak character” and a nation’s only concern is maintaining power. A Treitshke-esque style of imperialism wouldn’t cite religion or money as a justification. In fact, Treitshke denounces the “hypocriticall Englishmen,” calling them “an ancient robber-kight” and sharply criticizing their economic reasons for imperialism. Militant nationalism would have a much greater negative effect on the nations being colonized, though it is hard to say I prefer imperialism.

Imperialism

It is the unfortunate fate of many to misjudge imperialism. What are its boundaries and exceptions? Historians exist because history, in its essence, remains unresolved. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in the ambiguous abyss between the theory that imperialism is entirely corrupt and selfish, and the opposing viewpoint which argues that imperialism is nothing less than an altruistic and selfless mission to better the world. True, there are many benefits to imperialism: due to it, there are educational systems erected, infrastructure constructed, technology implemented, and cultures broadened to a more global view. However, the negatives also exist. Freedom is snatched away, liberty is confiscated, justice is done away with, and agency is transferred from the imperialized nation to the imperial power. More often than not, the country is exploited for its natives’ labor capacity and the raw materials it contains, which will in turn be shipped to the imperial power, for its gain alone. The imperialized country’s language, religion, and culture become infiltrated and slowly but surely disappear. The imperialized country becomes more like its imperial counterpart and the world is that much more homogeneous. It is my belief that the imperial powers’ justifications for their actions are complete and utter crap. They claim to desire the spread of freedom, liberty, and justice, but in reality they simply crave larger paychecks, more power, and glory for their country. It is my opinion that imperialism is an atrocious political scam and such a relationship should be avoided at all costs. The connection should only be forged if there exists an atmosphere of dire emergency. That is not to say that some positives don’t emerge from the process, but rather that the negatives greatly outweigh the positives. Thus, though imperialism played a large and important role in the world’s history, I believe it should stay where it belongs – in the past.

Imperialism

Alicia Korda
AP Euro
24 February, 2009

Imperialism: An Easy Excuse

I believe that “The White man’s burden” is an excuse for imperialism. It sounds nice to say that we are civilized, and they are savage and therefore we are obligated to provide help and support. However, with this summary description of imperialism the cruelty, and loss of culture is rarely described or even mentioned. It becomes a story of noble men eager to help others, when that was never truly the case. If the men who imperialized truly did care for the people then they would have lent a helping hand while still preserving the peoples dignities and cultures. However, imperialists are merely concerned with their own fortunes and are solely looking to gain power and money. I agree with the article by Hobson that says that the imperialist mess is to blame on those eager to invest capital in foreign countries. I see the only motives of imperialists to be selfish and money driven.
At the same time it is hard to picture history playing out any differently. If there is one thing that I have learned throughout my studies it is that money talks. People, no matter what period in history, are driven and motivated by money and power. It is a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless. I think that some people are and were motivated to actually better other people in this world, but unfortunately the majority are not in line with this motivation, and the only way to motivate the others is to involve money, and profit. Imperialists, as a whole, were acting off of selfish motives. While those motives are sad, they are realistic and in line with the priorities of the majority.

Kipling is an Imperialist

The initial response to reading “White Man’s Burden” is to cry out how the poet must be using irony and sarcasm as he scorns colonial habits. While it may seem that Kipling is mocking the horrors of imperialism, one must first understand the context in which this poem was written. “White Man’s Burden” was published in McClure’s Magazine (a pro-imperialist publication), and served as Kipling’s guide of how to be an Empire. Through the end of the 19th century, the British Empire stood alone as the greatest imperial power in the world. As Kipling writes to the United States, “Comes now, to search your manhood…the judgment of your peers” Kipling is implying that America will now be judged as an adult Empire as they “Have done away with childish days” and now must handle themselves the way a powerful Empire should. Those who disagree with the notion that Kipling is an avowed imperialist often point to the language he uses to describe imperialism and how it is quite unpleasant. What these critics fail to realize is that one can realize the brutality and violence that comes with imperialism, and accept it at the same time. Kipling believes that it is virtuous for the white man to put on the “heavy harness” that is imperialism.
In our society today, those who are wealthy frequently practice philanthropy as they feel it is their burden to use their wealth to help those less fortunate. Just as the modern wealthy use their money to lift up the world’s poor, so too did Kipling feel it was the need for the British, and then the American’s to use their power as an Empire to help those, like the American’s did in the Philippines, although it may bring “thankless years”.

Immoralities of Imperialism

Imperialism is a merely a way for one nation to take advantage of another, a way for those higher up in status to increase their position at the direct cost of another. Thus, imperialism reflects the innate human characteristics of greed, always wanting more no matter how much one has. Higher up countries (such as Great Britain, France, Spain, etc.) were already dominant countries within a European context. However, due to their greediness, certain leaders of said nations found it necessary to gain a competitive advantage over nations surrounding them. These nations colonized countries not as dominant as themselves, essentially stealing their resources. Not only did the imperializing countries take resources, but they also forced ill-fitting economies, political methods, and social structures that eventually hurt the colonized countries as well. The forcing of these things essentially lowered the colonized to a state of perpetual poverty – many formerly colonized nations are considered the most impoverished of 3rd world nations today.
Despite all of the immoral aspects of Imperialism, those within the higher up societies attempted to justify these atrocities with certain examples like “The White Man’s Burden” This theory essentially posits that it is the duty of the white man to change the savage man, forcefully altering their native ways to fit those of the European countries. Due to the fact that the imperializing nations not only severely damaged their colonies, but also attempted to justify their actions with noble intentions, Imperialism represents the sheer dregs of human society. Imperialism is a product of natural human greed, and should be regarded as simply atrocious.

the evolution of imperialism

In his paper entitled Imperialism, J.A. Hobson asked, “If Imperialism may no longer be regarded as a blind inevitable destiny, is it certain that imperial expansion as a deliberately chosen line of public policy can be stopped?” After reading his theory and proposed solution, I find myself asking the same question, calling upon modern political relationships and economic connections that exist in the world to find the answer. The answer is no. Imperialism is a ‘vicious’ cycle that allows for immediate gain, which causes imperialist forces to remain invested in order to maintain these profits. I put vicious in quotes because imperialism connotes a very negative idea with historical examples like the Spanish-American War. It is unfortunate, because I believe modern day globalization is, itself, imperialist in nature and is in fact something that has helped turn the ‘third world’ into the more politically correct ‘developing world.’ Something about developing word implies coming improvement as time goes on, whereas third world sounds like a trap that one cannot escape.


I define imperialism as having interests in a foreign nation and developing a presence there. Historically, imperialism has been more severe, referring to complete militaristic coups and takeovers, oppression etc. The modern world has made a subtle, yet very profound transition to a not-so-harsh and actually quite practical and sensible type of imperialism. For example, outsourcing, to me at least, seems like a mild form of imperialism because, as Hobson discusses, it involves investments in other countries and expected returns (i.e. continual profit). So, imperialism definitely still exists in today’s world and will continue to be a prominent part of global relationships. It will continue to evolve as humanitarian ideals, political relationships and economic interests also evolve.

I'm Just Not That Into Imperialism

At first glance, it may that appear that there is nothing wrong with imperialism. But it is also important to note that appearances versus reality are entirely different things. To put it straightforward: imperialism only benefits the country itself, and is not necessarily always for the best. In addition, imperialism not only changes a country both economically and politically but also socially. The hunger for greed takes over a country and they will do anything to gain or maintain their power, even if it means destroying countries that attempt to get in their way of “success”. However, at a certain point a country needs to recognize where to draw the line.
The biggest problem with imperialism is the façade countries use when involving third world countries. They act as a bully to the small, vulnerable countries and completely dispossess them of their history and culture. But it doesn’t make a difference to them, because they are gaining their precious power. It is also easy for a country to cover up their actual motives with imperialism. In our present society, the Iraq war comes to mind. We went into the war arguing that it was for “weapons of mass destructions” but realistically it was all about the oil. And of course looking back now, most of Americans would agree that going into war was a poor choice. We have imperialism to thank for that one. Imperialism is simply a cover up for a country, and it is safe to say that the bad always outweighs the good when imperialism is involved.

Matt Calvi's ESSAY ON IMPERIALSIM

Imperialism

There was no ‘era’ of Imperialism. The Imperialist venture of humanity has not had a beginning point of endpoint. Imperialism is a constant venture of human history.
When I say this, I mean to say that the concept of a world of ‘collectives of people,’ either in the form of nations or countries, cannot exist without imperialism. If imperialism is the struggle between groups of people for land and resources resulting in the subjugation of one of the groups and an exchange of cultures, then imperialism has existed since the first Australopithecus walked the earth. Imperialism began with early human hunter-gatherer tribes attacking other tribes for control of hunting grounds and resources in the Pyrenees mountains. One tribe subjugated another and forced the other to provide its previously held resources, yet the too tribes exchanged technologies and stories. This fits the definition of imperialism.
Of course, this story increased in proportions up into the 19th century, with countries such as Great Britain going into E. Africa and taking colonies, yet it was imperialism in the same manner as it was thousands of years before. This trend as bound to continue with the concept of denationalization of the world and the formation of international committees. Instead of having countries like Britain or France running imperialist ventures. Cultures, such as consumerism or radical Islamic Ideology will act as Imperialist forces and begin to hold great agency over the world.

Imperialm

Brenden Mcmorrow
AP EURO
February 24, 2009
Imperialism
The argument can be made that America is an imperialist country. Just like the British in the 19 century colonized India it can be argued that we have colonized other countries as well. We can point to instances like Iraq where we claim to be invading for our own protection. It can be argued that we have invaded Iraq for Iraq’s resources A.K.A. oil. We can also point to other countries that we have incorporated into the U.S.: the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Although the people living in these places still have the same rights as people living in the states it can be argued that they are colonized. American continues to exert its influences in places around the world attempting to influence others so that it will benefit. We have lots of influence in places like Saudi Arabia as well because of our oil needs. We buy so much oil from them that we are able to influence them because they need our patronage. America is an imperialist country.

Imperialism's Bad Re-Run

From America’s (albeit wobbly) perch atop the global community, globalization is practically invisible. Apart from daily newspaper complaints about jobs outsourced or factories closed, Nikes and other fine Walmart products complete their endless flow into the country without notice or objection. From the vantage point of the twenty-first century, the lesson of the early 20th century was that imperialism was an immoral thing not to be dabbled in, especially not by freedom loving Americans. As evidenced by the rocketing popularity of George Orwell, modern countries like Britain and the US realized that they wanted nothing to do with their Imperialism pasts, replacing colonial control of regions such as India, the Philippines and China with representational government. This ushered in a new age of foreign policy (in which we currently reside) where the countries at the top are responsible for assisting those at the bottom by spreading aid and democracy. Not only does this mindset vaguely recall the “White Man’s Burdon,” now viewed as racist and imperialist, its screams hypocrisy. While we may not directly sanction oppressive foreign intervention, it happens right under our noses, both through covert operation and through globalization. Expansion of American corporations into former imperialist colonies like India and China may not have the same look and feel of old school 1900’s Imperialism, but it fits into the same basic structure. A powerful controlling group (in this case American corporations like GE, HP and Dell to name a few) uses their power to control local government in order to gain control of resources (talent and cheap labor wages). Globalization may be nearly unstoppable at this point, but its integral to establish a “smart globalization” based on fair environmental and labor laws so that the atrocities generated by the few controlling the many do not happen again.

Kipling's Culture Criticism

In the 1800’s it was completely fine to express and take pride in European superiority. Society dictated that the white man had a burden to “save”, “upscale” and “civilize” all cultures that did not match the dominating culture of Western Europe and North America. Motivated by power, nationalism and economic gain, European countries proceeded to bring vast areas of the planet under their control through the guise of bringing civilization. Many legitimately believed that it was their god given duty to spread the tenements of European society, and that colonization was both a profitable and humanitarian effort. Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The White Man’s Burden” is a satirical description of the “whole hearted” effort of the European power’s to envelope the planet. Kipling ends his poem stating “Comes now, to search your manhood 
through all the thankless years
 cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,
 the judgment of your peers!,” suggesting an ominous future for those powers who choose to colonize. While the poem criticizes the foundations and meanings behind imperialism, it is also marked with evidence of societies influence on self-status of Europeans. Through his words, Kipling himself seems to feel some sense of superiority over those conquered (Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
 Half devil and half child), suggesting true internationalism was still a far off concept.

Imperialism and Its Consequences

Imperialism defined simply is the "policy of extending the rule of an empire over foreign countries or colonies"; however, when we do mention the seemingly good and "necessary" deed, we fail to read the fine print. This selfish act of destroying a country, culturally, socially and economically, overwhelmingly exposes the negative consequences and the cruel state in which imperialism leaves countries. While imperialist supporters buy into the concept of the 'White Man's Burden', this immature validation is merely a cover for economic greed and political success. I do applaud Kipling for creating such a believable excuse for large empires and nations to use when enforcing this policy; however, imperialist leaders tend to look past the fact that imperialism could actually hurt their empire or nation. With economic benefit and political power in mind, imperialist leaders are blind to the fact that these positive outcomes are balanced with negative consequences. Spreading and dispersing territory leads to disunity and separation throughout the empire, which is essential to the success of any larger power, creating enemies close to an empire's border is never a positive achievement, and focusing on foreign affairs so strictly can lead to internal disorder and turmoil. All of these factors overlooked by imperial leaders contain merit but never seem to cross their minds, distracted by the potential gains.

Beginnings of Universal Rights

The Revolutions of European governments in the 1800’s sparked the idea of liberty and equality for all (men). This notion of universal rights and an idea of a perfect nation were becoming more widespread. After these political revolutions, came the Industrial revolution, which inevitably produced Imperialism. The world was now much smaller. Trade increased outside of Europe because of railroads and steam engines, which made it possible for long distance trade to occur. This was how leading nations in Europe were able to take control of other countries’ society, governments and ultimately their resources. Also, a gap was created between the industrialized, developed and “civilized” and the not. Thus creating the meaning of the Third World. Whether or not leaders in Europe actually wanted to help out these countries by “civilizing them” is somewhat debatable but it can be inferred that Imperialism occurred and prolonged because of the monetary and political gains. Compared to earlier instances of “Imperialism” such as the Crusades, Kings instead blatantly used religion as their excuse, and had no empathy for the others. So the fact that now political leaders were even using the idea of aiding these other nations as an excuse, shows the results of the years prior and how people were now living in a world that (somewhat) believed in universal rights.

"White Man's Burden": Contemptuous Exhortation

Kipling’s poem, when read today, provokes us with its seeming white-supremacist crusade: anyone who actually agrees with the poem’s literal meaning has learned that saying so would render them politically incorrect. Yet, while it is difficult for us to take a second look at a scathing work in search of the motive beneath, we should not write it off as merely an extreme and backwards statement. Why does Kipling write this—and what does he actually think?
It is true that this was directed to the United States after its conquest of the Philippines; the “new-caught, sullen peoples” are presumably the dark-skinned, dark-haired individuals inhabiting the uncivilized island. And it is also true that Kipling was raised with a diverse cultural background, that he observed the Indians around him, and perhaps believed himself to be a sound judge of non-whites. However, this does not serve as evidence that Kipling actually sees Americans—and all light-skinned people—as the saviors of their racial inferiors. There is evidence of contempt in his voice and his deliberate mechanical choices.
“Send forth the best ye breed,” Kipling exhorts. Breed? He calls into question whether the primal elements of human nature lie only among the dark-skinned; apparently, whites can be bred and compared just like farm animals. He then continues the animal motif with “heavy harness;” it is the Americans who are about to wear chains in toil. The dark-skinned are also not the only ones whose ambition is swept away: the Americans are “to seek another’s profit,/ and work another’s gain.” Not for their own sake do they discipline the natives, not for their wealth or aspirations, but for “another.” This is, again, somewhat dehumanizing.
Kipling also presents imperialism with a Sisyphean nature: hopes are to be brought “to nought,” the toil is only “of common things,” and the reward consists of “blame” and “hate.” While this may merely be a noble excuse for effectively raping a conquered people of resources, Kipling might be indicating that all people are to toil in the process of imperialism. The natives toil, the imperialists toil, and perhaps no one gets anywhere.
The last two stanzas vindicate two groups of people, neither of them being the American imperialists. First, he states that the imperialized are the judges of their masters, that in fact they are almost an authority over their imperialists. Thus the toil of imperialists is also an emotional and spiritual one, where they must watch their step and evaluate their “gods” and themselves. Finally, the “thankless years” reveal the futility of the work, that there is no glory except what America’s presumably merciless peers allow. In the same way that oxen hardly reap the rewards of a day’s toil, the light-skinned may wear fetters for nothing.
Kipling’s contempt is evident, but he is not completely mocking either imperialist or imperialized. Instead, he could be taking a realist approach, as if to say, “Well, you conquered them, so you better bear the responsibility you asked for.” Kipling does not find responsibility noble, nor does he find it so degrading—merely the way things must proceed at this point in time. And perhaps he was right, for many imperialists did attempt to achieve the ideals Kipling mockingly set forth for them, taking seriously his dry exhortation and not allowing his sarcasm to make them think.

The "Planners": a Perpetual Failure of Imperialism

William Easterly’s description of global “Planners” paints an accurate portrayal of “new imperialism,” practiced by Western Europe, the United States and East Asia during the nineteenth century. Although Easterly’s solution of employing “Searcher” heroes to solve modern, global problems is less credible than that of his imperialist “Planners,” Easterly draws distinct connections between the failures of developed countries today to boost underdeveloped economies and the detrimental effects of imperialism 200 years ago. Regardless of moral implications, imperialism of the nineteenth century not only created the Third World country, but it also perpetuated the economic underdevelopment of colonized regions and provoked political and social problems that continue to plague countries today. Economically, the establishment of capitalist economies in colonies, although idealistic wholesome, realistically profited only special interest groups of imperialist powers because as the Western world entered the Industrial Age, colonies maintained the agrarian system to provide raw materials. Even domestic reform movements and European taxpayers suffered from Western Europe’s imperialistic ambitions, and yet many people “then (and now) were sold on the idea that imperialism was economically profitable for the homeland,” according to historian John P. McKay of A History of Western Society since 1300. Because these areas were indeed under European control, European economies had the economic right to exploit the raw materials of the regions, allocate and trade scarce resources within European and the global economies, and utilize the comparative advantages of developed and underdeveloped countries (again, moral arguments aside). However, once the underdeveloped regions gained independence in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, they lagged significantly behind industrialized countries and cannot, to this day, support themselves without the constant stimulus of European and American powers. The Western world has spent over $2.3 trillion on foreign aid over the last 50 years, and yet these developed countries’ “Planner” tactics don’t seems to stimulate most underdeveloped economies that lack infrastructure and a stable economic base. And this doesn’t include other countless expenses, like those of modern warfare and terrorism in Africa and the Middle East, that imperialistic errors of the past created in the nineteenth century and that the West now must pay for in the twenty-first. Perhaps the lessons of the past may teach developed countries how to better aid underdeveloped countries – by employing “Searcher” techniques that better adapt to each regional environment (such as micro-financing, from which underdeveloped countries must establish their own economic structure without relying on the crippling and sporadic aid of the West) and avoiding costly plans to implement idealistically sound but realistically faulty projects. However, although the reliance of underdeveloped countries has not only cost Western powers money, it has also enabled the West’s economic control over the global economy. Perhaps the imperialistic powers of the past had the foresight to predict the power dynamic of today, dominated by the West, and perhaps the existence of the Third World is irreversible and inevitable as long as Western countries remain in power.

Imperialism: True Reform or Economic Motives?

Imperialism, often identified as “the white man’s burden” to civilize, educate, and reform indigenous peoples in third world countries, has been a constant issue since the 19^th century. Forcefully promoting and injecting culture, politics and economics into a country in a state of poverty has its benefits, such as economic success and stable political positions. With imperialism, third world countries are able learn the art of craft of establishing flourishing states, and reap the benefits of the colonizer. Ultimately, however, the question is if the benefits of imperialism outweigh the burdens.

            With colonization comes a loss of culture, a silenced indigenous voice, and often, oppression. In many cases, such as that of the French colonization of Algeria and the Belgian colonization of Rwanda, extreme cultural tensions emerge, and mass genocides result. This kind of backlash against enforced colonial policies is a major threat to the intrinsic point of colonization.

Although affluent countries appear to try and aid countries in need through colonial rule, they often end up thwarting the growth of the nation on its own, in turn harming the countries own cultural and religious growth. Other motives often motivate the colonization of a country: such as natural resources, and religious conversion. Although these motives seem legitimate, they eventually taint the national identity, and impede the type of nationalism that makes a nation strong. Personally, I believe that if a country is truly in need of reform and political support, the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations should contribute to the cause. All in all, colonization and imperialism were negative “reforming” movements that only stunted the progress of independence.  

Imperialism and Its Consequences

Imperialism defined simply is the "policy of extending the rule of an empire over foreign countries or colonies"; however, when we do mention the seemingly good and "necessary" deed, we fail to read the fine print. This selfish act of destroying a country, culturally, socially and economically, overwhelmingly exposes the negative consequences and the cruel state in which imperialism leaves countries. While imperialist supporters buy into the concept of the 'White Man's Burden', this immature validation is merely a cover for economic greed and political success. I do applaud Kipling for creating such a believable excuse for large empires and nations to use when enforcing this policy; however, imperialist leaders tend to look past the fact that imperialism could actually hurt their empire or nation. With economic benefit and political power in mind, imperialist leaders are blind to the fact that these positive outcomes are balanced with negative consequences. Spreading and dispersing territory leads to disunity and separation throughout the empire, which is essential to the success of any larger power, creating enemies close to an empire's border is never a positive achievement, and focusing on foreign affairs so strictly can lead to internal disorder and turmoil. All of these factors overlooked by imperial leaders contain merit but never seem to cross their minds, distracted by the potential gains.

Carvell's Response Paper

By no means has Hobson placed the ideal of Imperialism on a pedestal. Rather, he astutely states that “self-seeking interests” and their “animal struggle for existence” characterized Imperialism. And while he does not necessarily bring up a new view, he does entice discussion. Much of the reason to colonize was for the personal benefit of the explorer, and this opportunity created excitement in others to follow him. And because of this intense excitement the colonizer (or more likely group of colonizers) would have the entire military, political, and financial resources of the nation at his command. Therefore Imperialism served as such a powerful force that national resources were used for private gain, creating a paradox between “nation” and “private”. It seems that Imperialism is unfair not only to the territory that it is conquering, but to the mother nation herself. This supports Hobson’s argument that Imperialism washes away the roots of the nation, taking away the very ideals that were fought for. Because the nation of so spread apart, oligarchies are created, and democracy is replaced. If left uncontrolled, the nation becomes weak and lacks the strong core it once had. While Imperialism seemed to reap the benefits of new territory and resources, in reality it hurt the nation because it became so spread apart.

No Cheers For Colonialism

Colonialism or imperialism should not be praised. As seen in European history imperialism came about through the want of power and wealth. Many leaders and people said that through imperialism they wanted to diminish all the small states and make the bigger states even bigger and more powerful. I believe that the ideas presented by Dinesh D’Souza in the article “Two Cheers for Colonialism” are flawed.

The main problem with imperialism is that due to the Europeans want for major wealth and power, imperialism brought about a great wave of oppression. Western countries would colonize third world countries and completely diminish the culture of the colonies they colonized. Europeans would attempt to westernize and modernize these countries and many times veer far away from the traditions of the countries. Also, since Europeans colonized to gain more wealth, they used the people of the colonies to do their work. In many cases, the native people living in the lands the Europeans colonized became slaves to the Europeans. Who cares if the West did not become “rich and powerful” (Dinesh D’Souza) through colonial oppression? The point is, the West attempted to become rich and powerful through colonial oppression, that is the real problem.

Dinesh D’Souza fails to see the real problems imperialism created. Instead of looking at the immediate effects of colonization, D’Souza focuses on long term effects which do not give a good idea of how European colonization really damaged many states. D’Souza also tries to justify his points by saying European countries were not the first to colonize. Again who cares if they were not first to colonize, the fact that they did colonize in an extremely cruel way is the problem. To say “Two Cheers for Colonialism” is moronic when speaking about European colonialism.

Casey's Response Paper

While the motivation behind King Leopold II’s conquest of the Congo was clearly rooted in economic profit, the motivation behind most imperialist actions cannot be so plainly and neatly defined. Furthermore, it is even more difficult to identify what events, actions, and movements constitute as imperialism. What is clear is that imperialism was no original idea of the 19th century nor has the flame of imperialism been extinguished in today’s world. So why is it that New Imperialism of the late 1880s is so often viewed with a critical and shameful eye? Is it actually any different than today? While we attempt to explain imperialism through self-interested fiscal motivation, there seems to be another common link at play that ties the different eras of imperialism together: the idea of responsibility. From Kipling’s explanation of “The White Man’s Burden” to the moral responsibility of humanitarian aid groups, people have justified imperialism through the socially accepted idea that the “more privileged” have an obligation to fix/help/aid the “less fortunate.” Although there are clearly differences between Leopold II and an international relief group, both are similarly driven by a sense of duty. Imperialism seems to be justified and even inspired by some type of responsibility; whether it is the obligation of a government to bring honor to a nation, a large corporation to increase its profit, or a foundation to make an impact. It is this connecting idea that makes the definition of imperialism unclear, thus complicating the analysis of imperialism. So with that said, how does imperialism stay “in check” and how does the world avoid radicalization? Who decides what responsibility actually is and is it even someone’s place to make that type of decision? The balance between acting in an oppressive and aggressive manner and actually acting in a beneficial behavior has been a struggle of the 20th century and will continue to be a struggle as long as a group can get popular support behind the idea that their actions were a result of a responsibility. What needs to happen in order to prevent a hot bed for war and a race to conquer, as seen in the 19th century, is that the world needs to find better solutions to “acting responsibly” so that instead of forcing change on others, we find a way to inspire self-improvement and internal reform.